This cup tie saw plenty of early action with three goals inside the first eight minutes, as Josh Oliver put Whitstable ahead, Rory Ward levelled and Josh Williams quickly restored the lead. Oliver added another from the penalty spot just before the end of an entertaining first half, then completed his hat trick soon after the restart to put Whitstable in a commanding position. Tunbridge Wells showed plenty of spirit and pulled one back when James White got on the end of a free kick, but despite going close with several more efforts were unable to find the net again, so it is Whitstable who progress to the second round.

These two teams had met at Tunbridge Wells in a league fixture just two weeks earlier and that was a game Whitstable will wish to forget as the home side were rarely troubled and eased to a 3-0 win. Both teams made some changes for this first round meeting in the DFDS Kent Senior Trophy at the Belmont. Reece Gillies was given a start in midfield for Whitstable, with Ben Cheklit having moved to AFC Croydon Athletic in the week. The visitors made five changes to their team, including a start for Dominic Wynter-Stephens who made three appearances in midfield for Whitstable during the 2022-23 season. There was a good crowd on a sunny afternoon in north Kent, with 412 being recorded through the gates.

The teams made a blistering start with the first three shots all bringing goals. Jake Mackenzie combined with Josh Williams on the right before crossing to the near post where Josh Oliver arrived to tuck the ball past Luke Glover in the 3rd minute. The lead was short lived as Mo Zabadne won possession and found Frank Griffin who helped the ball on for Rory Ward whose shot from 18 yards was touched onto the left post by Dan Eason, but the ball rebounded across goal before crossing the line just inside the other post to level things up inside the 6th minute. The early excitement didn’t stop there, because Whitstable were soon back in front, scoring a great goal in the 8th minute. Harvey Smith passed to Josh Williams on the right before making a run towards the corner, taking three defenders with him, which left the space for Williams to cut in and fire a left footed shot past Glover from 25 yards.

Williams continued to cause problems powering down the left and a couple of crosses were just cleared away by the Wells defence. Trevor McCreadie lifted a shot over the bar as Whitstable appealed for a handball, then Liam Gillies fired over at the other end. Glover saved an Oliver shot after Tyler Anderson had made a great run and found him on the edge of the area, then McCreadie had an effort blocked, with the ball rebounding off him for a goal kick. Whitstable increased their advantage in the 42nd minute when another Anderson run and pass sent Smith through and he played the ball past Glover whose attempt to save caused the Whitstable striker to lose his footing before he could roll the ball into the net and the referee awarded a penalty that was confidently struck into the bottom right corner by Oliver. Eason dealt with a long range Zabadne shot before the half ended after six added minutes with Whitstable leading 3-1.

It seemed as though Whitstable had comfortably booked their passage to the next round when they extended their lead in the 49th minute. Williams received a pass from Liam Gillies on the hallway line and outpaced Ed Sata down the right wing before crossing the ball and Oliver arrived to shoot into the roof of the net to complete his hat trick with his 11th goal of the season. Whitstable continued to press forward and Williams had a long range shot saved, then a Reece Gillies shot was blocked by a defender. Smith had a header deflected wide from a corner kick, but then a quick break led to a good curling shot by Festos Kamara being tipped over the bar by Eason. Tunbridge Wells made three substitutions just after the hour mark and they began to look a lot more threatening as Whitstable’s performance levels dropped off a little. McCreadie almost got on the end of a cross, but Eason denied him from close range. They did find a way through in the 68th minute when Griffin swung in a free kick from the left corner of the penalty area and two Wells defenders caused problems in the six yard box and the ball was bundled in with the goal being credited to James White.

Shortly afterwards, the deficit was nearly reduced further, when Eason saved a low shot, but his throw out was intercepted and Harry Hudson’s attempt was blocked before Eason parried a shot by Johnny Phillips and McCreadie shot over. The game had changed and McCreadie planted a header just over the bar from a Zabadne cross in the 80th minute. Whitstable did manage to regain some control and Williams created an opening for Eri Akintimehin whose shot was saved. There were still a few late chances and Eason kept out an Alfa Dada shot, Akintimehin placed a shot just wide and then played in fellow substitute Jack Palmby whose shot was saved. There was a late caution for Liam Gillies, but Whitstable had done enough and now await the draw to see who they will face in the next round in late November.

Whitstable have no game scheduled for Saturday, so their next scheduled fixture is away to Kennington on Tuesday week.

Whitstable	Data	Tunbridge Wells
8	Shots on target	9
2	Shots off target	6
3	Shots blocked	5
3	Corners	2
13	Fouls conceded	8
1	Offside	3
1	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, George Sheminant, Reece Gillies (Ed May 86), Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Tyler Anderson (Eri Akintimehin 65), Liam Gillies, Harvey Smith (Jack Palmby 72), Josh Oliver, Josh Williams.
Subs (unused): Josh Robson, James Brown.
Goals: Josh Oliver 3, (pen) 42, 49, Josh Williams 8.
Yellow cards: Dan Eason 75, Liam Gillies 90+5.

Tunbridge Wells
Luke Glover, Mo Zabadne, Ed Sata, Frank Griffin, James White, Dan Tear, Regan Corke (Alfa Dada 61), Dominic Wynter-Stephens (Harry Hudson 62), Trevor McCreadie (c), Rory Ward (Johnny Phillips 61), Festos Kamara.
Subs (unused): Tommy Smith, Zak Wolvey.
Goals: Rory Ward 6, James White 68.
Yellow card: Ed Sata 89

Attendance: 412
Referee: Christopher Cannon
Assistants: Santosh Raj Pandey & Mark Takacs